I am a class III-IV kayaker who just moved to hood river for the winter! I'm always looking to get out and paddle and improve my skills. I have been on the middle and new lower sections of the white salmon like everyday with some local friends. I want to step up my game and start doing the orletta and farmlands and maybe the truss someday:) and its always nice to meet new friends on the river:)

I'm brand new and looking to get on a river for the first time. I took the beginner course at Kayak Academy last week and I'm signed up for the beginner class at NWOC starting mid April. I also went to a pool session this weekend. . I bought a Jackson Zen 75 and all my gear this weekend. I'm up in Everett and looking to go this Sunday 3/24.

I am in mill creek and have yet to start. I have taken several on river courses and roll clinics. Just need to go out solo. Waiting for a little warmer. Last course I went down to CA and spent 3 days with instructor. Also bought a zen.

If you guys are going to paddle in washington,
paddling in the winter is essential to improving skills
and getting access to a variety of whitewater that
only runs in the winter.
If your not paddling in a drysuit you should be thinking
about getting one as this make cold weather paddling totally comfortable. For a beginner run you could try from the bridge
above Skykomish to the bridge just above money creek.
This class II with the biggers waves just above the takeout. You can walk through the campground to see
thisc wavetrain.

In looking to go soon too. Just need my dry suit and I'm good. And some more work on my roll. Tr182md and stretch76 I'm in. I'm up in bham but will come down south. Instead of solo I would try and get a couple paddlers with some ww experience to go with. They're usually a big help .

Good for you guys, Stretch76 I think the NWOC beginner class is awesome, that is the one I took a long time ago. I know I always say this on here and I'm not saying you won't find runs and people to go with on this site, you probably will, but another really good place to try is Washington Kayak Club, they have more structured beginner-level trips, pool classes, etc. They have a ww class that's already started but when they graduate next month that will be another bunch of people looking to get out on rivers, plus the instructor set and a bunch of experienced members who also do trips on Class II and III throughout the year.

Here's the link to their calendar: http://www.washingtonkayakclub.org/home/calendar/month_calendar/2013/03/-

And if we end up putting together a beginner-ish run I will post back on here.

Yeah I should have a dry suit by 1st week of April. Class 2 - (3-) for me.
I have been on skagit: goodell to bacon creek but was with two other very exp paddlers
3sixzero threeninethree seventwosevenfour

Hi, I am new to P.P. as well. I live in Canada, so I do most of my paddling up there. Would be great to have a group of paddlers to connect with when I venture south of the line. Thanks for starting this post! It is a huge help. I am a class II-III paddler who is always looking for challenges and ways to increase my skills.

Where do you boat at up there? I took my intro course on cultus and the chilliwack With purple Hayes. That's the only river I that I know to get to. I live in Lynden, so it's not that far away. I'd be down to go somewhere up in ca sometime. I do prefer to have experience along, though?!

I live in Chilliwack, so I paddle the Chilliwack alot. There are tons of options though, from Whistler to the Okanagan. For class II-III there is the Seymour, Capilano, Chilliwack, Chehalis, Coquihalla....the list goes on. The Thompson is alot of fun too, but that is a bit harder of a run in which its best to have a few good support boaters (I had a couple swims on the narly rapids). I have only been paddling for a year, so if we were to go it would be best to have at least 1 good support paddler along. That being said I know alot of those! There is a good paddling community up here on the vankayak.org forum. Usually there will be trips posted and organized, and most paddlers seem pretty keen to take beginner/intermediates on the easier runs like the Chilliwack Classic. You are welcome to join in anytime! I would join the forum up here so you can keep an eye on the trip posts. Its free to join.

This to any of you who are interested. I will be
paddling the Sauk, Suiattle this weekend. I have sent
an email indicating that we will meet Sat morning at
the IGA in Darrington at 10:30 and camping that evening.
I am willing to also paddle on Friday and camp.
You can join as day trip or camp out. There are people of varying skills, which I will attempt
to accomodate.

Bill Petty
425 422 3776
Keep in mind while there is cell service at the IGA
there is no coverage where we will be camping.

I highly recommend RPM Max's trip. One of the best rivers north of Seattle, and he is a great person to go with. He has been paddling longer than most people on this site. Once you've run the Sauk river you'll know what I mean.

I will be staying at Washington Park in Anacortes for the weekend, but I would be willing to drive up Saturday morning to meet up at IGA in Darrington at 10:30. I would head back to Anacortes that night to spend time with the family though. What sections of the Sauk, Suiattle will you be paddling on Saturday? I would like to read through the writeups on this forum. About how long of a run would your group be doing on Saturday? Would just like to set a bit of a schedule and know roughly what time I would be back in Anacortes by so I can let me family know.

Due to an acl surgery about a month ago I'm moving a lot slower this summer and therefore have promised to get my fiancee out on the water. She is completely new but has a pool roll. If other newbies would like to join us around the seattle area I'm happy to help and play safety. That said, there are only so many I can look after on my own so I'll post some trips but if we could talk some other experienced boaters into coming along as well we would all be better for it. Look for trips to start posting around the end of may when we get back from vacation.

Any beginners with 10+ runs to intermediates up for a run on the Skykomish soon? It should still be good from Thursday through the weekend? Either from Split Rock / Railroad Bridge to Big Eddy, or preferably from right below Boulder Drop to Big Eddy if you are up for it. The flow level is good for IK's since it's high enough to cover rocks in the slower/lower stretches, but not too high to be too pushy for lower skill levels.

What a great forum!!! Perfect! I'm new to paddling... taken a couple classes from Kayak Academy, and now wanting to go practice. I'm planning to go hit Snoqualmie powerhouse area Saturday 11/9/13. If there are any other new people that would be happy to just go practice going in and out of eddies, it would be great to have company.

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